The 40 teams participating in the Tour de France à la Voile 2002 are champing at the bit to start the first offshore race. For the moment, they have to be patient as the start of the 94-mile race from Dunkerque to Dieppe has been postponed from yesterday

Planned for yesterday morning at 0800, the start has been rescheduled for today. The boats will leave the quay at 6:00 and then, if the conditions are good enough, there will be a start off Dunkerque at 7:30.

"Otherwise, they will motor the boats for a while and start off Boulogne-sur-mer once they have passed a dangerous part of the coast, the Cape Gris-Nez", explains René Boulaire race committee director. "In that narrow passage, the wind is always 5 to 10 knots stronger and the sea is really rough. As the BMS (gale warning) has been maintained until tomorrow midday, it is more likely that they will start the race off Boulogne-sur-mer."

Most of the sailors understand the race committee decision though they were disappointed not to race yesterday.

"We're pleased to hear there is going to be a race. It is a shame it will be 24 hours late", said Rob Greenhalgh, skipper of Panther Team GBR. "I'm not really sure what the coast is like and what are the conditions out there. Therefore, I have to take their words for truth", comm nted Simon Sutherland. The Aussie skipper of student boat Force EDC along with his navigator, Britain's Sam Stevens, will spend this spare time working out their navigation system. "It's a fairly new comprehensive programme called Seatrack. It takes information from lots of different sources such as the tide, the weather, the boat speed and produces the best course", explained Sutherland.

Mike Broughton, the navigator of Panther Team GBR, comments the coming leg: "It will all depend where and at what time the race starts. The first third of the race is the interesting part with the tide to work out. It could be fun but hard work as the wind funnels so much in the channel near Cape Nez-Gris". "We've been looking at it for the last couple of weeks. I did for Volvo Ocean Race as I was helping Duncan's brother Neal MacDonald and his Assa Abloy team", said Broughton. "Basically, it will be a wet and hard beat. It'll be tough and hard work for the main sheet trimmer", added the navigator of Panther Team GBR.

The boys of amateur British team Royal Thames were killing time watching a film in their camping truck on the 'Village Assistance'. "We just want to race. We know it was a hard decision to take for the race committee. It's a shame the wind is southwesterly. This race might be a hard task for the navigators because of the tide. Our navigator is Peter Whipp. He does not have local knowledge but is meticulous. We're all up for it", said Owen Modral, the skipper of Royal Thames.

Former Vendée Globe sailor, Joe Seeten is from Dunkerque and thinks the race committee took a wise decision: "It would be dangerous to go out there with Mumm 30's. Especially near Cape Nez-Gris. It is a long regatta, it would be a shame to have several boat dismasting during the first offshore race".

Tom Burton (AUS) and Alison Young (GBR) hit the right note in the Laser and Laser Radial at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne as they took out the top honours and qualification spots to the 2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup Final.

It was double Australian gold in the Paralympic classes. Matt Bugg (AUS) came out on top in the 2.4mR whilst London 2012 Paralympic SKUD18 gold medallists Dan Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch (AUS) were triumphant in the two person keelboat.

Lithuania's Juozas Bernotas came out on top in the Men's RS:X whilst Russia's Stefania Elfutina was triumphant in the Women's RS:X. Both sailors claim the first Abu Dhabi ISAF Sailing World Cup Final spots whilst Jock Calvert (AUS) and Joanna Sterling (AUS) picked up the Oceanic spots for the Emirati finale.

There was some fast paced action in the 49er and 49erFX Medal Races at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne as Nathan Outteridge & Iain Jensen (AUS) and Maia & Ragna Agerup (NOR) claimed the honours and Abu Dhabi final spots.

A tight group of five young Papua New Guinean (PNG) Laser sailors are stepping up their 2015 Pacific Games competition program using this week's ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne. PNG is one of 33 countries represented at the important Oceanic event, the largest Olympic sailing regatta in the southern hemisphere.

Nicolai Sehested (DEN) and his TREFOR Match Racing Team clinched victory today at the Energa Sopot Match Race, Poland, the 10th stage and World Championship Event of the 2015 World Match Racing Tour (WMRT).

There was no stopping current, and five-time ISAF Match Racing World Champion Ian Williams (GBR), GAC Pindar today at the Energa Sopot Match Race as he swiftly dispatched his Quarter Final opponent Joachim Aschenbrenner (DEN) in three straight wins.

The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) continues to address concerns and is taking steps to ensure the health and safety of all athletes who will be competing in the upcoming Aquece Rio, Olympic Test Event and the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition.

Veteran Polish match racer and America's Cup helmsman Karol Jablonski skilfully played the gusty conditions today to lead the twelve strong field of teams at the end of Day 2 of Qualifying at the 2015 Energa Sopot Match Race.